It was a strange night for my family last night. My parents live in the same neighborhood as I do, just on the opposite side of Gary, New Duluth. Sunday night at about 11PM a high speed chase brought a man and a woman in a stolen car into Gary, erupting into a firefight with speeds exceeding 80 RPM.
The couple who stole the car crashed into the 1400 block of Gary (where my parents lived) and totaled the vehicle against the wall of an old couple's house, managing to rupture a gas line in the process. With the police in hot pursuit, the couple ran away on foot, trying to find someplace to hide. My parent's house is surrounded by a large woodne fence that my step-father built; the only thing that kept them from choosing their home to break into.
They tried to scale the fence, failed, and broke into the neighboring home of a young single woman named Jo. My parents awoke to hear screaming followed by gunfire. The young woman was shot by the criminals in her house, and shortly thereafter the man was shot and killed by the police. The woman was apprehended and taken into custody. The young woman I just found out this morning is going to be alright; the news said that her wound was non-life threatening.
I ask that you pray for Jo and her healing, that justice may be fairly done to the woman (part of the couple responsible for so much chaos) and the deliverence my parents received since their house was the first these criminals attempted to break into. Alot can happen in one night, and I am glad to God that His grace prevented greater misfortune for everyone involved.
Monday, August 29, 2011
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Wow Ian...what a scary thing to happen particularly when friends and loved ones are involved. I am praying now for Jo for healing both physically and mentally after such an ordeal. I am also praying for your parents, police and the young young mans family that was killed. Lord it is all in your hands. God bless, Lloyd
ReplyDeleteThank you Lloyd. I was so put out by events that I failed to mention the family of the young man responsible; thank you for that mention, and for your prayers.
ReplyDeleteJust think how often God has intervened to protect people. Most of us don't realize how much God protects us except when we see a particular time he did so, yet he protects us every moment of the day.
ReplyDeleteThank the Lord for protecting your parents, and the young woman. I also will pray for her and the man's family.
Dfish-
ReplyDeletethank you kindly for your prayers for Jo and everyone.
It appears Jo was only shot in the leg and will fully recover; the gas leak was quickly repaired and the old couple whose house was damaged suffered no injury. None of the police were injured during the firefight. The young man, Brian Butala age 31, apparently had a history of violence and depression, and his last words known were "I have nothing left to live for anyway." It is a sad testimony for the end of such a young life; he was younger than I am!
Thank you much for everyone's prayers and please keep Jo and this young woman who was arrested in your prayers, Amy Sternal.
FYI:
ReplyDeleteJo has entirely recovered, and my parents also are doing much better. No one else had been harmed besides the gunman and Jo. I am grateful to God for keeping the families around the gun fight safe, for a speedy recovery for Jo, and the exoneration of the officer that shot Brian.